Amazon plans to open new grocery stores across US to expand food business

Amazon.com Inc plans to open dozens of grocery stores across the United States as it looks to expand in the food business, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Amazon is also exploring a strategy of strengthening its new supermarket brand by purchasing regional grocery chains that operate at least a dozen stores, according to the report.

Shares of grocers such as Walmart were down 0.99 percent while Costco traded up 0.21 percent up. Kroger traded down over 4 percent. Amazon was up 1.68 percent.